V.E.N.O.M.: In Venenum Potentia: 1

V.E.N.O.M.: Veiled and Exclusive Nation of Organized Mercenaries — what an original concept!I read chapter one and was unsure whether I should continue with the book (bloody, gory senseless-seeming murder is one of my pet peeves). Then I realized that this was part of the underlying story and the book book deserved a closer look. I cannot tell you how pleased I am to have made that decision (although parts of the story mad me cringe)...What a great first novel for Ty Mitchell! Once I started reading the second chapter, I knew I was not going to be able to put this book down...The storyline about the interactions between Parker (an intriguing federal NSA agent, driven and determined), Jake (a police detective, haunted by the deaths of his wife and daughter) and Zasha (an inquisitive investigative reporter with unexpected talents) is enough to keep you turning the pages... They are thrown together by circumstances, but they do not fully trust one another... Add in the other subplots and you are hooked... This is one of those novels that will demand your undivided attention... I read carefully to make sure I missed nothing... I experienced emotions that ranged from hope to despair... The characters and the surroundings came to life... Twists, turns, surprises and shockers made for a great story... I am looking forward to OPERATION NIGHTFALL...AfterThoughts: It is another extra-caffeine day for me, but I do not regret it for an instant...Awesome cover art!

I may be a weakling but I found the violence in this novel unacceptable because of the author’s barely disguised admiration for the tough guys (and gal). As with repetitive violence in all writing, there was a sameness about the bloodiness. Another contention with authors who glorify toughies is that the toughies just don’t seem to fall, that is, they don’t seem human. They soak up enough violence to fill several hospitals with dead and dying people. And, of course, it’s men creating most of the testosterone-smirk-fuelled kicking.This type of escapist literature (is it pulp?) does nothing to make us aware of reality, that is the world we inhabit with its small but daily trials and tribulations, but its entertainment value is that it lets us dream, fantasise, so to speak, in incarnadine-worlds of bone-splitting punches. There were typos in “V.E.N.O.M.”, too, but the genre was carried through to its conclusion relatively professionally so 4 stars though not to my liking. My only other thought is that it’s the devil’s world if the things “V.E.N.O.M.” depicts are going on under our unpunched noses! And just a quick, final comment : “Operation Nightfall”. The sneak look gives me the impression the author needs to brush up on his Italian (as well as avoiding typos)!

In V.E.N.O.M detective Penny is forced to take action and stop the government's adversaries from retrieving their secrets at all costs without bringing any light to what's going on while he struggles with the death of his wife and child. The book weaves through the gauntlet of political corruption, treason, espionage, and murder.Overall, the book was okay. Some of it was cheesy, and not the funny type but the eye roll type, like the line "looks like she moved from little ponies to little boys." And some of the "I was trying to be sensitive, not insult the woman" tropes were too much. Pacing was ok and pretty much on target for a thriller and the twists were well done that I really never grasped anyone's true motives until the end. I did enjoy that. Now, the violence in the book is interesting. Some of it is needed but some of it felt like it was gratuitous, which makes me want to put a book down as a reader. I'm an avid fan of Dexter, so I am not squeamish but when violence is there for no real point then it's not appealing. There are some typos and grammatical errors that should have been caught, but they don't interfere with the reading overall.

In V.E.N.O.M a homicide detective named Jake Penny struggles with personal demons in the wake of losing his wife and child in mysterious, traumatic circumstances. But his problems only go from bad to worse when he accidentally stumbles upon a complex web of crime, corruption and murder. As this thriller’s plot progresses Jake finds himself entangled with a mysterious NSA agent and an alluring investigative journalist, all while battling to uphold a frail façade of sobriety in order to maintain his career. This is a fast-paced, action-packed tale filled with many genuinely surprising plot twists. Zasha, the investigative journalist, was one of my favourite aspects of this book as I enjoyed the way in which the author revealed different dimensions to her character as the story evolved. Another strength of the novel was that the author clearly put a lot of thought into ensuring that it was hard to predict many of the characters’ true motivations. This makes it easy for the reader to relate to the confusion Jake feels in being thrust into such a complex, dangerous predicament. This thriller is likely to appeal to readers who enjoy action and adventure fiction also, as V.E.N.O.M. features several fight scenes reminiscent of those depicted in martial arts films.

Detective Jake Penny is walking a tightrope of life and death while struggling to move forward with his life after the death of his wife and daughter and maintain his sobriety. When a case that is supposed to provide him a chance to get away is handed to him, he thinks it's an easy task until he stumbles upon something unexpected. A visit from NSA Agent Ethan Parker turns his life completely upside down as he is forced to embark on a mission to take down a threat to national security. Add in a multilayered journalist named Zasha who is looking to get the inside track from Penny by starting up a flirty friendship and you've got an interesting mix of characters who really carry the storeline.Admittedly, I did not expect to become as enthralled with this story as quickly and intensely as I did. I read it in one sitting. There was no boring filler, just pages of action and investigation that pealed back the layers of this twisted story. It did get a bit violent at times, but nothing that detracted from the actual story. All in all, a very good read.